THE LESSON ON INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY

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The 2nd of December is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. It was on this day in 1949 that the United Nations passed an anti-slavery resolution. This was titled the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. It was another half a century before the UN created an official day based on this. The day serves to remind people that slavery still exists in this world today. It highlights the fact that slavery is a terrible breach of human rights. The U.N. wants people to fully understand the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says: “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.” Most slavery today is forced labour, child labour and human trafficking people.

Slavery is thousands of years old. It dates back to almost every ancient civilization. It was a part of normal international trade throughout the Roman Empire, through to Medieval times and right up to the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery in the USA was officially made illegal in 1865. The website Wikipedia describes the current situation of slavery. It says: “Although outlawed in nearly all countries, forms of slavery still exist.” The site provides an estimate that there are over 28 million people in slavery today. Human rights campaigner Siddharth Kara calculated the average price of slaves on today’s market is $340, with a high of $1,900. Most slavery today takes place in parts of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

LISTENING GAP FILL

The 2nd of December is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. ____________ in 1949 that the United Nations passed an anti-slavery resolution. This ______________ Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. It ______________ a century before the UN created an official day based on this. The day serves to remind people ______________ exists in this world today. It highlights the fact that slavery is ________________ human rights. The U.N. wants people to fully understand the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says: “No one ________________ slavery or servitude.” Most slavery today is forced labour, child labour and human trafficking people.

Slavery is thousands of years old. ________________ almost every ancient civilization. It was a part of normal international trade throughout the Roman Empire, through to Medieval ______________ to the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery in the USA was officially ______________ 1865. The website Wikipedia describes the current situation of slavery. It says: “Although outlawed in nearly all countries, forms of ________________.” The site provides an estimate that there are over 28 million people in slavery today. Human rights campaigner Siddharth Kara calculated the ________________ slaves on today’s market is $340, with a high of $1,900. Most slavery ________________ in parts of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

The 2nd of December is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. It was on this day in 1949 that the United Nations ____________ an anti-slavery resolution. This was ____________ the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. It was another half a ____________ before the UN created an official day ____________ on this. The day serves to remind people that slavery still ____________ in this world today. It highlights the fact that slavery is a terrible ____________ of human rights. The U.N. wants people to fully understand the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says: “No one shall be ____________ in slavery or servitude.” Most slavery today is forced labour, child labour and ____________ trafficking people.

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Slavery is thousands of years old. It ____________ back to almost every ancient civilization. It was a part of ____________ international trade throughout the Roman Empire, through to Medieval times and ____________ up to the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery in the USA was officially made illegal in 1865. The website Wikipedia describes the ____________ situation of slavery. It says: “Although outlawed in nearly all countries, forms of slavery still ____________.” The site provides an estimate that there are over 28 million people in slavery ____________. Human rights campaigner Siddharth Kara calculated the ____________ price of slaves on today’s market is $340, with a high of $1,900. Most slavery today takes ____________ in parts of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

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CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

The 2nd of December is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. It was on this day in 1949 that the United Nations past / passed an anti-slavery resolution. This was titles / titled the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. It was another half a century before / after the UN created an official day based on this. The day service / serves to remind people that slavery still exits / exists in this world today. It highlights the fact that slavery is a terrible breach / broach of human rights. The U.N. wants people to fulfill / fully understand the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says: “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.” Most slavery today is forcing / forced labour, child labour and human trafficking people.

Slavery is thousands of years old. It dates / dated back to almost every ancient civilization. It was a part of normal / normality international trade throughout the Roman Empire, through / though to Medieval times and right up to the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery in the USA was officially made / did illegal in 1865. The website Wikipedia describes the current situation of slavery. It says: “Although outlawed in nearly all / each countries, forms of slavery still exist / exits.” The site provides an estimate that there are over 28 million people in slavery today. Human rights campaigner Siddharth Kara calculations / calculated the average price of slaves on today’s market is $340, with a high of $1,900. Most slavery today takes place in part / parts of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

The 2nd of December is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. It was on this day in 1949 that the United Nations (1) ____ an anti-slavery resolution. This was titled the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. It was (2) ____ half a century before the UN created an official day based on this. The day serves to (3) ____ people that slavery still exists in this world today. It highlights the fact that slavery is a terrible (4) ____ of human rights. The U.N. wants people to (5) ____ understand the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says: “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.” Most slavery today is (6) ____ labour, child labour and human trafficking people.

Slavery is thousands of years old. It (7) ____ back to almost every ancient civilization. It was a part of (8) ____ international trade throughout the Roman Empire, through to Medieval times and right up to the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery in the USA was officially (9) ____ illegal in 1865. The website Wikipedia describes the current situation of slavery. It says: “Although outlawed in nearly all countries, forms of slavery still (10) ____.” The site provides an (11) ____ that there are over 28 million people in slavery today. Human rights campaigner Siddharth Kara calculated the average price of slaves on today’s market is $340, with a high of $1,900. Most slavery today takes (12) ____ in parts of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

passed

(b)

pass

(c)

passes

(d)

passing

2.

(a)

other

(b)

another

(c)

others

(d)

the other

3.

(a)

remember

(b)

remit

(c)

remodel

(d)

remind

4.

(a)

broach

(b)

beach

(c)

breach

(d)

beech

5.

(a)

full

(b)

fully

(c)

fulfilled

(d)

filling

6.

(a)

forces

(b)

forceful

(c)

forced

(d)

force

7.

(a)

dates

(b)

dating

(c)

dated

(d)

date

8.

(a)

normality

(b)

normalize

(c)

normally

(d)

normal

9.

(a)

took

(b)

made

(c)

had

(d)

did

10.

(a)

exits

(b)

exiles

(c)

exist

(d)

exhaust

11.

(a)

estimate

(b)

esteemed

(c)

estates

(d)

establish

12.

(a)

up

(b)

placed

(c)

palace

(d)

place

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Paragraph 2

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )

contract with Deutsche Grammophon. She had become an opera superstar.

( )

and incredible voice. The magazine ‘Musical America’ said she is “a genuine superstar for the 21st century” and was named

( )

'Musician of the Year' for 2008. Netrebko also won the prestigious People's Artist of Russia prize in 2008.

( )

cleaner and doing odd jobs. She auditioned for the Kirov Opera and impressed

( )

conductor Valery Gergiev. He became her vocal mentor and guided her to her operatic stage

( )

San Francisco Opera. She built up a reputation for her creative and dynamic performances in Russian operatic

( )

debut in 1994. In 1993, she won the Glinka Vocal Competition in Moscow.

( )

Netrebko was born in Russia in 1971. She studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, while working there as a floor

( )

Netrebko has sung at the great opera houses all around the world and has expanded her repertoire to include

( )

Singer of the Year in 2004. Netrebko is also frequently seen on the cover of

( )

most of the opera classics. She has picked up dozens of awards, including the Classical BRIT Award as

( )

fashion magazines like ‘Vogue’. In 2006, she became an Austrian citizen.

( )

In 1995, Netrebko graduated from St. Petersburg Conservatory and made her sensational US debut at the

( 1 )

roles. In 2002 Netrebko made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and signed a recording